Jeff Arellano's Commentary

Posted (user submitted September 15, 2005)

This mall is a weird one.

Built in the 1970's next to a Sears Store in Pomona that opened in the 1950's,
this mall never really had a full life. It was Anchored by Sears on the east
end, a local discount department store Zodys on the West end, and had a Sav-on
Drugs, Woolworths, and Roberts Department Store, a local chain.

This mall was never really that popular, as two miles down, the older Montclair
Plaza (with May Company, JCPenney, and The Broadway) drew the crowds.

Death came relatively fast for this mall in the early 80's when Montclair Plaza
expanded with a second story, Nordstrom and a new Sears store that was not
stuck in the 50's. After sears left, Zodys closed their chain in 1986 leaving
only the Roberts, Sav-on and Woolworths. They added a food court to lure some
people, but it didn't work. It was small, dark and in the back of the mall not
on the main walkway. Around this time, a swap meet opened in the location of
the sears store.

Woolworths and Roberts left the mall soon after Zodys closed. But in 1988, a
Giant Supermarket opened in the spot left vacant by Zodys. That lasted a year,
before it was converted to a Ralphs that lasted a few years, then closed in the
early 90's.

Sav-on kept motoring on in the mall, that had literally no stores left inside.
Then in the early 90's a beauty school took over part of the mall left vacant
and drew some shops in. The food court by this time was already closed off.

A Thrift Store opened in the top level of the Roberts Store, and an 8 screen
2nd run movie theatre [Super Saver Cinema] was built next to the Swap Meet. Mom and pop stores
started to open at the mall again, but it never got really fully leased.

Around the mid 90's it tried to lure hispanic shoppers by renaming the mall
Plaza Azteca. Didn't work. Then a renaissance of sorts in the late 90's when the
theatre became a first run theatre. The mall was once again renamed to The
Village At Indian Hill.

It was around this time that the west end of the mall was bought by the city of
Pomona. The old Zodys and part of the mall was transformed to Pueblo Unified
School. A mall that became a school.

Today, the East end still has the swap meet and theatre. The Sav-on just
recently closed.

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